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Bolinder-Munktell
tractor at Driffield Vintage show 2008]] Bolinder-Munktell (BM) was a tractor and machines manufacturer founded in Eskilstuna, Sweden in 1932 through the merger of the mechanical companies Bolinder and Munktell. In 1950 BM was bought by AB Volvo. In 1973 the company changed its name to Volvo BM AB and then in 1995 to Volvo Construction Equipment AB. The product range has changed with the times. Up to the beginning of the 20th century agricultural machinery, such as threshers were an important product. Tractor production commenced in 1913, with type 30-40. Tractors were the main product up to the 1970s. From the 1950s on new products in the construction equipment and forestry machinery categories emerged. These were initially based on their tractor chassis. Soon the construction equipment become the dominant product range and remain so today. Products developed in the 1960s and still in production are wheel loaders and articulated haulers. In 1950 Volvo bought the firm out, and sold the tractor division to Valmet in 1985. History in 2008]] Bolinder-Munktell traces its origins to the engineering workshops Munktells Mekaniska Verkstad (established in Eskilstuna in 1832) and J. & C.G. Bolinders Mekaniska Verkstad (established in Stockholm in 1845). In the 1850s Munktells started producing its own products like steam engines and in 1853 the first Swedish steam locomotive was produced. However the big seller starting the same year was the locomobile. In 1906 the first of our company's many construction equipment products saw the light of day, the steam roller. In 1924 the first grader was launched, based on the wellknown and durable tractor driveline. During the years several models were developed and produced. Tractor production commenced in 1913, with type 30-40. During the 1940s, Volvo began to develop tractors and the two companies began to collaborate. Eventually, Bolinder-Munktell was acquired by Volvo in 1950 and all production of tractors was transferred to Eskilstuna. As a result of declining profitability, the Board decided to phase out tractor manufacture in 1979 and the last agricultural tractor left the company in 1984. Tractors were the main product up to the 1970s, when production shifted to construction plant. Tractors were sold as Bolinde-Munktell, Volvo BM, BM Volvo, and Volvo. In 1950 the main shareholder Handelsbanken sold its shares to Volvo who turned the company in to a subsidiary. The tractors gained an reputation for durability. During World War II, Bolinder-Munktell, at the request of the Swedish authorities, built Daimler-Benz DB601 aeroplane engines under licence. An entire underground factory at Eskiltuna was built to accommodate this factory. Owing to the superior reliability of the Swedish built engines the Swedish Air Force issued instructions that for two engined aircraft, at least one engine should be a Swedish built unit. Model Range In 1854, Munktells Mekaniska Verkstads AB produced Sweden's first traction engine. More than 6535 traction engines left the gates of the company up to 1921, when manufacture was discontinued. In 1952, a newly-developed tange of diesel engines was launched consisting of one, two, three and four-cylinder direct-injection units. With the continued development of diesel engines, the older simple crude-oil engined tractors were dropped from the range. AB Bolinder-Munktell's top-of-the-line tractors quickly featured a diesel engine. By the late 1970 sale of tractors were dropping and the management board decided to drop tractor production to concentrate on other sectors so by 1984 tractor production ceased. Tractors Combine Harvesters Combine Harvesters were produced by Bolinder-Munktell, and they also produced some in association with Aktiv Other Machinery *Steam Tractors Preservation The odd example of machines by Bolinder or Munkell and BM appear on the rally circuit but are rare as were not a big make in the UK. * Please list any known ones here. (one of unknown model no. is shown above) See also *Volvo Construction Equipment *List of Tractor Manufacturers *Agricultural Machinery Reference *wikipedia *Volvo web site (Historic info extracted from in part) *Tractor & Machinery Magazine *Classic Tractors Magazine External links *Bolinder-Munktell on the Volvo pages Bolinder-Munktell Category:Construction plant manufacturers Category:Merged companies Category:Steam engines Category:Steam rollers Category:Road roller manufacturers Category:Implements Category:Volvo Category:Companies founded in 1932 Category:1950 mergers Category:Defunct Tractor manufacturers Category:Combine harvester manufacturers of Sweden Category:Defunct companies of Sweden Category:Tractor manufacturers of Sweden Category:Companies of Sweden